#corstery

[firekitten01]

take some fukkin sips babes

[missdarkgarden]

I was recently asked to provide some bite-sized information on waist training, including what type of garment is best suited. What follows is more than a bite or two, but easily digestible at one sitting.

Many things can be used to train the waist but none is better than a shapely corset. Corsets reduce the waist by compressing the waistline, but also comfortably supporting the ribs and hips. Some "waist trainers" being sold simply compress the whole mid-section, a far less comfortable approach, as this squeezes the ribs, resulting in the notorious inability to breathe. In addition, many waist trainers are stretchy and have no boning, which means they have the potential to roll up into a small band, uncomfortable and creating unsightly bulges above and below the waistline. Well made corsets are supported with steel boning which keeps the length of the corset consistent, no matter how snugly the corset is pulled. Waist training works by gradually reducing the areas of the body that are being compressed, another reason it's important to have a garment that is shapely and fits you well. Some people believe you can "season" a corset into fitting by starting out with something that is large for the ribs and hips, but only snug at the waist. This has the potential of not only intestinal discomfort, but training the organs down into the lower abdominal region, since in that situation there would be no support. A corset that is comfortably snug over the hips and tummy can actually create a flatter stomach than the wearer starts out with. To make progress, frequent, comfortably snug wear is more important than infrequent very tight lacing. It's very much like results from exercise and diet - the better your habits are, the more progress you make. As soon as you go off your program, your results begin to diminish. There is not a hard or fast rule about how much you have to wear a corset to make progress, but again, like exercise, if you do it once a week your progress will be less than if you wear it moderately for a little while every day, or even every other day. That said, even once a week will get you more progress than never starting! Most people are able to begin with an off-the-rack or ready-to-wear corset, and many eventually graduate to wanting a custom or bespoke corset. The majority of waist trainers use an underbust corset on a daily basis, but some women with fuller bustlines are very happy to have the bust support of well-made overbust corsets as well. At Dark Garden, we developed our ready-to-wear corset patterns after years of making exclusively custom sized corsets, and put the information we gathered there into creating some of the shapeliest, most comfortable corsets available anywhere. We continue to refine our patterns and add styles as needed. With us, most waist trainers begin with our Cincher and then graduate to our Cupid, a more shapely underbust corset, and many eventually go on to have a bespoke Underbust Victorian or Underbust Edwardian made to their measurements. Those that are shorter waisted or just want a nip at the waist enjoy wearing the Corselette or Waspie As someone who has worn corsets both lightly laced and very tightly laced for more than 20 years, I firmly believe that good corsets can feel absolutely wonderful - comfortable and supportive, but there are plenty of poorly made and uncomfortable corsets on the market, especially these days. I recommend looking for a corset that creates more of this } { shape, than this ) ( shape. Quality materials and boning are more important than one might expect. You don't want cheap steel, because it can break, causing damage to the corset and wearer. It needs to be made well, because a poorly constructed corset will twist around the body, which can cause back problems - just like wearing a back brace that forces your body into a poor posture and holds it there. Lastly, make sure you're putting your corset on properly, as this can make or break your corset wearing experience - if the corset is too high on the body, or tilted forward, it will put pressure on the ribs, making breathing difficult. The waistline should be parallel to the floor. Here's a lacing video we made, all about lacing someone else into a corset - no bedposts or knees required! If you think you can't put a corset on yourself - here you go!